A First War Trio to the 3rd Canadian Infantry; Kinmel Park - 1914-15 Star (404117 PTE. J. HOPCRAFT. 3/CAN:INF:); British War Medal (404117 A. CPL. J. HOPCRAFT. 3-CAN.INF.); and Victory Medal (404117 A. CPL. J. HOPCRAFT. 3-CAN.INF.). Naming is officially impressed. Un-mounted, gilt wear evident on the VM, light contact, better than very fine. Accompanied by copies of his Index Cards, Attestation Paper, Service Records, Medical Records, Dental Records, Last Pay Certificate and Discharge Certificates.
Footnote: Joseph Hopcraft was born on August 27, 1893 in London, England. He signed his Attestation Paper as a Private with the 35th Infantry Battalion on April 12, 1915, in Toronto, Ontario, at the age of 21, naming his next-of-kin as his mother, Alice Hopcraft of Toronto, stating that he had no previous military service, that he was not married and that his trade was that of Decorator. Hopcraft sailed from Montreal, Quebec aboard the S.S. Metagama on June 4, 1915, arriving in England shortly thereafter and was taken on strength at Shorncliffe on June 14th. One month later, he embarked for France on July 16th and was taken on strength by the 3rd Infantry Battalion at Boulogne the following day. In the Spring of 1916, Hopcraft was in action when he suffered gun shot wounds to his left shoulder, just below the scapula, along with his back and legs on May 31, 1916. He was admitted to No. 3 Canadian General Hospital at Boulogne on June 1, 1916 and after two and a half weeks, he was invalided to Reading War Hospital on the 19th. After one day at Reading, he was transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital Bear Wood on July 20th for eight days, before being transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Woodcote Park at Epsom on July 28th, where he convalesced for three weeks, then discharged on August 17th. Hopcraft was posted to the 12th Reserve Battalion at Shorncliffe on January 24, 1917, then once again struck off strength to the 3rd Infantry Battalion for overseas service in the French theatre on February 14th. He was hospitalized again, just shy of one year of his previous hospitalization, as he was admitted to No. 24 General Hospital at Etaples on May 12, 1917, suffering from a bout of Influenza. He was again invalided to England, where he was posted to the Central Ontario Regimental Depot and admitted to the Military Hospital at Hampstead N.W. on June 14th. His case was a severe one, as he was transferred on July 11th to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital at Bromley, with the official diagnosis of "Trench Fever and Influenza". Two days later, he was transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital at Woodcote Park at Epsom on July 13th for further treatment, before being discharged on the 24th, then taken on strength of the 12th Reserve Battalion on the 27th. Hopcraft was appointed Acting Corporal with pay on January 22, 1918. Upon the ceasing of hostilities, he was transferred to the Canadian Concentration Camp at Kinmel Park on December 5, 1918 for return to Canada. After five days at Kinmel Park, he embarked England aboard H.M.T. Melita on December 10, 1918. Hopcraft was discharged upon demobilization on January 17, 1919, at No. 2 District Depot in Toronto, credited with having served in Canada, England and France.

WWI British War Medal to the Canadian Forestry Corps - (2498532 PTE. H.H. BALL. C.F.C.). Naming is officially impressed. Dark patina, light contact, extremely fine.
Footnote: Harland Harris Ball was born on June 23, 1892 in Toronto, Ontario. He signed his Attestation Paper with the York & Simcoe Foresters (Construction) on September 13, 1917 in Toronto, at the age of 25, naming his next-of-kin as his father, Harry Ball of New Toronto, Ontario, stating that he had no previous military service, that he was Single and that his trade was that of Bridge Builder.

The Emotive Stephen Family First War Memorial Grouping - Peter Stephen: British War Medal (1075075 CPL. P.C. STEPHEN. C.R.T.); and Victory Medal (1075075 CPL. P.C. STEPHEN. C.R.T.). James Stephen: British War Medal (802139 PTE. J. STEPHEN. 4-CAN.INF.); Victory Medal (802139 PTE. J. STEPHEN. 4-CAN.INF.); and GRV Memorial Cross (802139 Pte J. STEPHEN). Martin Stephen: GRV Memorial Cross (2691697 Pte. M. STEPHEN). Very crisp detail, unmounted, dark patinas on the BWMs, ribbons swapped on the former's medals as worn by the veteran, extremely fine. Accompanied by a CD containing forty-two pages (twenty-two for Peter, ten for James and ten for Martin) including their Index Cards, Attestation Paper, Service Records, Medical Records and Discharge Papers. Footnote: Peter Crystal Stephen was born on December 17, 1872 in Arbroath, Forfarshire, Scotland. He married Christine Fleming Stephen and had a daughter, also named Christine Fleming Stephen, along with two sons, James and Martin Stephen. He enlisted as a Private (528511) with "C" Section, No. 2 Field Ambulance Depot on July 26, 1915 at London, Ontario, stating on his Attestation Paper that he had one and a half years previous military service with the 4th Lanark Militia, that he was married to Christine and that his trade was that of Coach Maker. He was discharged on March 1, 1916 at London "in consequence of Misconduct under Para 322 Sub Para 7 K.R & O. 1010." One month later, he signs his second Attestation Paper on April 4, 1916 in London (1075075) with No. 2 Field Ambulance Depot, Canadian Army Medical Corps, stating that he had seven months previous military service with "C" Section, No. 2 Field Artillery Depot, that he was married to Christine and that his trade was that of Coach Carpenter. He embarked Canada from Halifax, Nova Scotia on September 12, 1916 aboard the S.S. Metega, disembarking Liverpool, England on the 22nd. Peter Stephen was appointed Acting Corporal at Witley and sent to C.P.T.D. on December 2, 1916, transferring to the Canadian Railroad Construction Corps at Croborough onDecember 18th. He was transferred to the 7th Battalion Canadian Railway Troops on March 16, 1917, arriving in the French theatre on the 29th and confirmed with the rank of Corporal in the field on June 13th. On May 2, 1918, Corporal Stephen suffered an injury and was admitted to hospital at Rouen on the 3rd, later being discharged on the 5th with a "debility". He was transferred to C.L. Pool on June 3, 1918, then transferred again and taken on strength at No. 2 Canadian General Hospital on September 23, 1918. He was to remain here until he embarked Liverpool aboard the S.S. Belgic on April 16, 1919, arriving in Halifax on the 23rd. Stephen was discharged upon demobilization at 1st Depot Battalion, 1st Quebec Regiment in Montreal on April 25, 1919 at the age of 46, issued with a War Service Badge, Class "A". Corporal Stephen's two sons aslo saw service during the Great War. His two sons also saw service: the older one, James, during the war and the younger one, Martin, post-war. His oldest son, Private James Stephen (802139) was born on May 8, 1897 in Glasgow, Scotland. He signed his Attestation Paper with the 135th Infantry Battalion "Middlesex Battalion", on December 3, 1915 in London, Ontario, listing his father as his next-of-kin, stating that he was serving with the C.S.C. since September 20th, that he was not married and that his trade was that of Clerk. He embarked Canada from Halifax, Nova Scotia aboard the S.S. Olympic on August 22, 1916, arriving in Liverpool on the 30th. He was transferred from the 135th Battalion to the 125th Battalion, taken on strength at Bramshott on October 15th. He proceeded overseas to the French theatre for service with the 4th Battalion Canadian Infantry on May 23, 1917. He was with reinforcements at Canadian Base Details on the 24th and joined the 1st Engineer Battalion in the field on June 12th, eventually making his way to the 4th Battalion on August 24th. Private James Stephen was Killed in Action on November 6, 1917, at the age of 20, most likely at Passchendaele. He is remembered on the Menin Gate (Ypres) Memorial, Panel 18 - 24 - 26 - 30 on the eastern side of the town of Ypres (now Ieper) in the Province of West Flanders, Belgium, on the road to Menin and Courtrai. It bears the names of 55,000 men who were lost without trace during the defence of the Ypres Salient in the First World War. His Will, dated August 6, 1916, stipulated that his mother was to receive his wordly possessions. She also received his medals and Memorial Cross. Private Martin Stephen (2691697) was born on November 22, 1899 in Wishaw, Scotland. He signed his Attestation Paper with the 1st Battalion, Canadian Garrison Regiment in London, Ontario on February 3, 1919 in London, Ontario, stating that he had no previous military service, that he was not married and that his trade was that of Labourer. He was admittted to hospital on July 16, 1919, suffering from "chills, slight difficulty swallowing, stiff neck, swollen tonsils" and eventually diagnosed with Dyptheria. He was treated and discharged on the 31st. He was hospitalized again, this time on February 4, 1920, with a "cough, pains all over" and diagnosed with Influenza. He spent two weeks being treated at the Western Ontario Military Hospital in London, then experienced "a sudden drop in temperature to 97 degrees" before his "heart petered out" and died at 5:20 am on February 17, 1920 at the age of 20. His Will, dated February 3, 1919, stipulated that his mother was to receive his wordly possessions. She also received his Memorial Cross. Corporal Stephen and his wife Christine lost both sons in the course of twenty-seven months, both in the service of their country.

Silver, engraver marked "J.S. & A.B. WYON" on both sides, obverse illustrating the right-facing busts of the Governor General Marquess of Lansdowne and the Marchioness of Lansdowne, surrounded by the inscription "MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNE G.C.M.G. GOV: GEN: OF CANADA - MARCHIONESS OF LANSDOWNE - 1884", reverse illustrating the Governor General's coat-of-arms, surrounded by the inscription "PRESENTED BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR GENERAL", 51.3 mm, contact marks, edge nicks, near extremely fine.
Footnote: Lord Dufferin, Canada’s third Governor General after Confederation, created theAcademic Medals in 1873, to encourage academic excellence across the nation. Over the years, they have become the most prestigious award that students in Canadian schools can receive. For more than 140 years, the Governor General’s Academic Medals have recognized the outstanding scholastic achievements of students in Canada. They are awarded to the student graduating with the highest average from a high school, as well as from approved college or university programs. Pierre Trudeau, Tommy Douglas, Kim Campbell, Robert Bourassa, Robert Stanfield and Gabrielle Roy are just some of the more than 50,000 people who have received the Governor General’s Academic Medal as the start of a life of accomplishment. Today, the Governor General’s Academic Medals are awarded at four distinct levels: Bronze at the secondary school level; Collegiate Bronze at the post-secondary, diploma level; Silver at the undergraduate level; and Gold at the graduate level. Medals are presented on behalf of the Governor General by participating educational institutions, along with personalized certificates signed by the Governor General. There is no monetary award associated with the Medal.